Travel Thoughts and Travel Guides

6 Types Of People To Watch Out When Inviting To Travel

I have been organizing group travels since 2006 and most of the time I would scratch my head, bang my head to the wall and run until the strength of my legs ran out just to release the stress of organizing. The research, calling and reservation of resorts and transportation are the easy parts of Travel Organizing. The hard part is inviting people to join you in your travel.

Since its summer, I’d like share some of the types of people to watch out for and how to avoid them or how to prepare for them.

1. Back Outs

These are the most common of the types of problem people you would encounter when you’re inviting people to travel. Reasons would range from laziness, something came up, something will go down, I need to go somewhere, someone needs me and work. Regardless of the reason, whether valid or invalid, when someone backs out it is a problem to the organizer.

Problem with Back outs

There are fees that can be lessened when you travel in groups (i.e. Vans, Big Boats). When someone Backs Out the budget would increase per person. This may also lead to not proceeding with the trip.

How to Handle the Back Outs?

Collect a non-refundable reservation fee, regardless of the reason, so that they would think twice when they back out. If someone did back out you could still go on with the trip without ballooning the budget. Better if you could collect more than the required amount, when someone Backs Out, everyone’s budget would decrease. 🙂

Expect them to happen. When I arrange group travels I expect about 3-5 people to not proceed with the trip. If someone does not proceed, I would be happy. If everyone proceeds, then I would be very happy.

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I’ve been organizing travels for a fee and for free. Regardless if I am paid or not, I still ask for a reservation fee if needed. Be sure to explain why you need a reservation fee. My friends understood, I’m sure you’re friends would understand too.

2. Package Deal

These are couples or friends, that will not join you unless the other one joins. I’ve encountered a lot of them during my travels.

Problem with the Package Deal

When you invite them, they are the ones who are slow to commit since they still have to ask the other.

When one backs out, the other backs out. Big problem when there’s a group payment to be covered.

How to Handle the Package Deal?

Set a target number of people that will join you in your trip and tell them that commitment to the trip will be in a first-come-first-serve basis. If they don’t commit soon, there would be a high possibility that they will not be included in the trip.

Confirm a commitment by collecting non-refundable reservation fees. If they do not give the reservation fee, they’re not committed.

On a side note, I am happy to have encountered couples where the two of them committed but one had a problem and had to back out, but the other still went with us. 🙂

3. The Chain of Discontinuity

This is an extreme case of the Package Deal where invitee #1 needs invitee #2 to join for him/her to join, invitee #2 needs invite #3, invitee #3 needs invitee #4 and so on. I’ve encountered them thrice so far. The most recent was early this year 2011. The worst I had was a 9-level chain of discontinuity where the most important person, invitee #9, backed out and everyone else backed out too, leading to the discontinuation of the trip.

Problem with Chain of Discontinuity

When someone backs out it would create a chain effect of people backing out.

How to Handle the Chain of Discontinuity?

Avoid them at all cost.

4. I am Interested but I am Not Sure

You tell your friend that you will be arranging a trip about a month or 2 before the travel date and your friends answer would be “I’m not sure. I don’t know if another trip would come up on that date.”

Problem with I am Interested but I am Not Sure

You’re saying the trip date about a month or 2 in advance for them to set their schedule for you. Obviously you’re not a priority. These type of people has a high probability of backing out.

How to Handle the I am Interested but I am Not Sure?

An eye for an eye. If you’re not a priority, then they too are not you’re priority. Find someone else who would want to go with you. Don’t worry you have lots of friends to invite. 🙂

5. The Complainer

You’ve invited them, they said yes. You researched, called, set your itinerary and budget. Then you go back to them and confidently present the details of the trip and they tell you “That’s too expensive, I think this is a much cheaper option.”

Problem with the Complainer

Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you had information about the place?!?!?!

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How to Handle the Complainer?

When you invite, ask if they know something about the place that could help you with the planning.

If they did not give any information when you presented the details and they still complained, ask them if they are willing to make calls and do the research for what he/she suggested. If they are willing, then you got yourself a help. If not, just smile at them and proceed with the plan if you’re not willing to do the adjustments.

6. The Schedule Mover

You invite people and one of them said “I’m not available on the dates, can you move it for me?”

Problem with The Schedule Mover

He/she is not your only invite. When you move the schedule, another friend or you may not be available on that schedule. You’re the organizer you should be there.

How to Handle The Schedule Mover?

Accept the fact that many times you could not make everyone happy. If someone has already committed to the original date, do not adjust. Invite other people until you find someone available on your schedule. Just explain to them that someone already has committed and you have already told your friends that original date was the set date of your travel. Just invite them next time on your next travel and hopefully they are available that time.

The important thing with travel organizing is that you and your committed friends get to where you want to be. You do not want to be tagged as the travel organizer who organizes travels that never happen. The more your organized travels proceed, the more people will want to go with you and the lesser the hassle it would be when inviting since you now know who to invite. Besides, Travel Organizing will not be called Travel Organizing if you’re group don’t Travel.

That’s only some of the types of people I’ve encountered when I invite. I’ll just create another post for the other types. It’s stressful just remembering them.

Have a happy summer vacation! 🙂

P.S. If you are already stressed with all the organizing, maybe you should consider travelling solo. 😉

This is an entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival themed Travelling Solo. Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to see more interesting posts regarding Travelling Solo In the Philippines.

i so understand your post! I’ve been organizing trip for our barkada for the past two years (without a fee at that) and it’s such a hassle when you have to book and re-book for people who back out or try to have the dates changed. Thankfully now they understand the hassles of organizing a trip! 😀 such a nice read! 😀

Thanks piknik 🙂
It’s nice to hear that your friends now understand the hassles of organizing trips. I long for people to try travel organizing at least once in their life so they could value and respect us who sacrifice our time and effort for others to travel. 😎

I can relate to this post! I’m the one always charged with trip organization probably coz I’m the most enthusiastic. Abuso na sila minsan! Pa move ng date.. may mas mura ba? Ang mahal naman!.. sige, sasama ko pero wait… and so on and so forth. Di ko na uli iniinvite mga yun. there are so many others I can travel with 😉

so true! Minsan mas maganda talaga magtravel ng solo. Sabe ng iba malungkot, but I really find it enriching. Sarili mu lang proproblemahin mo, and you can even have more time to get to know yourself. : )

This is a very good topic for travel organizers and travel Guides. I think this are common problems worldwide.

The ff. are my suggestions:
1. Plan/schedule the destinations months ahead and publish in your Blogs, considering the dates of National Holidays,and Events (Fiestas, Sports etc.)
2. Consider the Weather. Plan an alternative destination (Plan A & B) in case the weather is not good when the day comes. There is no reason then to back out or schedule an alternative date. Keep informed by advanced PAGASA weather reports. Take note that the weather in Northwest Luzon, West Visayas are different from the Eastern parts of Luzon and Eastern Visayas. This is because of the Winds from Philippine West Sea and the Pacific Ocean (Phil. Sea) side. Eastern Samar for example has the same weather with that of the South Pacific Islands. That is, Summer months in May to September. Rainy days from November to Feb.

4. When at the destination the
weather turns unfavorable, organize
a social event for the Group. Ex.
Videooke, Dance contest, Games, etc.

3. Calculate the Budget for the Group
including Transportation Fares, Fees, Accommodation and Meals.
Package Price per person calculating
an allowance for possible price
increases.
4. Collect Deposit upon reservation.
with set date of payment for the
balance, at least 2 weeks before the
scheduled departure.
5. Cancellation Fees. Equivalent
amount for the Airline Fare plus
organizational fee and possible
expenses incurred ex. travel insurance, long distance phone bills.
6. 80% to 100% cancellation fee
one week before the scheduled
start of the group travel.
7. To ensure that everybody enjoys,
there should be groupings of same
interests or they can engage in their
own activity upon reaching the
destination. Ex. Trekking,
Snorkelling, Cycling, Spelunking
Beachcombing, etc. You can still
meet during Breakfasts and Dinners/Suppers and during Picnics.
Inform at the start that Complainers
and “Killjoys” are not welcome in the Group. One of the purposes of the
group travels is meeting new Friends
and for Friends to deepen their
friendship out of sharing same interests together.
Last but not least,COORDINATE or plan who among you Travellers will travel to certain destinations in such a way that your interested travellers can be recommended (if it does not meet your schedule)to whoever has the schedule to requested destination.

If you plan different schedules to certain destinations, you will win many travel participants. This is a form of SYNERGY. You will be surprised that after 2 successful
group trips, your interested Participants will multiply.
The advantage with our Filipino culture, we are inerconnected. If you win the trust of one, you win also her/his family and friends. Since almost everybody
has Balikbayan relatives and Office
Colleagues, it will be easy for you
to organize. Remember only to be
strict with the Reservation Conditions and participation requirements stated above. Another
advantage of organizing Filipino
participants, FOOD and Accommodation
as well as possible inconvenience in
transportation facilities in the
remote areas will not be a problem.
Jokes are understood. The former Boy and Girl Scouts and the adventurous types are good participants. So with
experienced travellers. The “mayayabangs at maarte na tipo ay
hindi dapat isama sa Grupo. This
will spoil the fun.

Unlike organizing package tours for
international tourists like the
Europeans, the Organizer will be
charge in Court or the complaining
Participant will charge damages
equivalent to a minimum of 3 times
the amount paid. The probability is
there since the facilities and Services in the Provinces are not yet
acceptable.

Once you have organized a Group,
considering the above, you will
continue to improve and enjoy
travelling at the expense of the
Group, win more friends, learn from them but of course see to it that
you earn. Your Participants will surely find your Package much cheaper
and enjoyable than travelling alone.
Have fun organizing and good luck!

been there, done that!!!
staying up late doing research for the so-called planned trip with all the necessary details, being excited and looking forward to it. at the end they all back out……grrrr!!!! 👿

the first time i organized a 5day adventure trip for 5 friends (so i thought),i did everything. i wanted really to divide the responsibilities to the 5 of us: research on transpo, accommodation, where to eat and i would do the itinerary. but they all wanted me to do everything . so i did.(did not charge them on long distance calls i needed to do) everything went well until our last night in the city. just a seemingly wrong call of getting off where they did not want to get off, made me a such an antagonist.
moral of the story? DO NOT BRING THESE PEOPLE AGAIN in MY TRIPS!

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